Currently in Saint Claire, it's a sunny day. The temperature is 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius). The wind is currently coming in from variable directions at 6 mph. The barometric pressure reading is 29.97 and falling, and the relative humidity is 46 percent. The dewpoint is 57 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius.)
Currently the moon is in the waning Gibbous Moon phase (60% full).
It is currently 18:10 Pacific Time on Wed Jul 11 2001.
Whispering Pines - Roger's Apt(#2598RAJL)
This apartment gives a look of high expense, not in the building itself, but it's contents. The walls and ceiling are painted pure black, and the carpet matches the darkness, save for some off color fuzz, being that it's a pretty new carpet. Across from the door in the living area is a large black entertainment center consisting of a not suprisingly black 42" TV, a large fully digital stereo system with CD and tape players, AM/FM stereo, a setting for the TV, and a useless setting called 'phono'. There are various gaming systems tucked into the entertainment center as well, baring names like Dreamcast, Playstation and Playstation 2, various systems with the word 'Nintendo' upon them... 3D0, NeoGeo, and finally something called a 'colecovision'. This system is complemented nicely by a high quality Bose surround sound speaker system. Two black leather couches are on the left and right of the living area, angled at the entertainment center. A large chest rests on the ground between the couches and the entertainment center, working as a foot rest. The only sources of light are the LEDs on the stereo, the TV, and a small blacklight bulb in the fan in the center of the apartment. A door to the right of the apartment leads to Roger's bedroom(+view) and the small kitchen is visable on the right side of the apartment, almost a part of the living room. The kitchen is lit up by a hallogen lamp, resting next to the front door, pointed towards it.
Jeremy unlocks the door and heads inside, calling out. "Hey.. Amanda, you here?"
Dizzy looks up from the couch as Jeremy enters. "Yeah, I'm here." She says with a bit of a sigh.
Jeremy peers at her from behind his bangs. "Um.. I just wanted to apologize for last night.. I was trying to get you mad enough to well.. do the big dog thing. So.. Um.. Yah.. sorry.. I didn't mean to scare you."
Rising from the couch, Dizzy nods, "I understand. I guess I should thank you, actually." She gives Jeremy a weak smile, "I guess this new life was inevitable."
Jeremy nods his head and adjusts his glasses across his nose. "Yah.. So Um. I'm going to take you to your new family. The Glass Walkers.. So.. um.. get whatever stuff you can carry and we'll head over."
Dizzy walks into the bathroom and grabs her suitcase. "This is all I brought in last night, right?" she asks, scanning the living room to make see if she left anything else.
"Uh huh.. Um.. I believe so." Sighing, Jeremy picks up his jacket and slips it on, zipping halfway up. "So.. I guess you can drive if you want."
Setting the suitcase down Dizzy heads back into the bathroom quickly and roots around in the trash can, "Oh my gosh," she says, "I didn't even think about it. I hope my cell's okay."
"Doors are locked and this is a safe neighborhood, its ok." Jeremy picks up her suitcase and heads over to the front.
Dizzy finally finds what she's looking for and pockets it. "Well, I was just worried if I had damaged it, you know. When I... did the big dog thing," she says, repeating Jeremy's terminology.
Jeremy smiles and opens up the door, holding it open. "Crinos actually. Thats what its called."
Dizzy smiles and nods, "Yeah, Crinos." She heads out the door, giving Jeremy a "Thanks" for holding the door.
Jeremy closes the door behind him and heads out to the car, the two zipping across town.
Walker Safe House(#2832RAJL)
This small tenement building, is a that work any interior decorator could be proud of. The building is somehow filled with light, and space. Despite the fact that the room is far from large. Mirrored surfaces and lush, green pot plants are much in evidence - jarring only slightly with the video cameras that perch unobtrusively in various locations. A small sign on the wall lists the number of apartments upstairs as eight. There are no names next to the apartment numbers. Downstairs leads to a very thick door, with no visible method of being opened - except a keypad next to it.
The lobby branches off into what appears to be a small recreation room; for use only by residents and their guests. Much like the rest of the building, mirrors are prominent. There is a pool table set up in one half of the room, while the remainder is dominated by a large home theater system, with an incredibly expensive-looking couch in front of it. The couch nearly screams out, 'Don't spill anything'. For those who might, there are also two matching side-chairs, and a bean-bag on the floor - far too close to the television to be good for anyone's eyes.
Jeremy unlocks the door and holds it open for Dizzy, shifting his weight, carrying a suitcase also. "Home sweet home..."
Dizzy nods her head a bit to Jeremy as she walks in. "Thanks," she tells him as she has a look around, taking off her sunglasses.
Corey looks between Sophia, John, Daisy, and the tootsie pops several times, and the expression he shows seems to indicate he thinks the world's going crazy. But he does accept one of the proffered suckers with a quiet thank-you.
Daisy offers Jeremy a Tootsie Pop as he arrives, and John, too. "Hello."
Jeremy takes the tootsie pop and blinks once, peering at Daisy, then glances around to everyone. "Um... Guys.. this is Amanda, new cub to our tribe. The one I found... she already had her change, um.. in Roger's apartment." A brief, amused smile passes over his lips, shifting a bit nervously. His eyes seem to dart about, too much ragein the room.
=Daisy=
She's a decently handsome-looking young girl in her early teens, perhaps fifteen or so. Deep brown eyes hold a sparkle of inner life and joy, but there's an underlying seriousness about her posture and manners that seem slightly out of sort with the average teenaged girl. Her attire and mannerisms reflect her actions: quiet and sensible rather than boisterously ostentatious.
=John=
This imposing individual manages to convey an air of latent violence, (even when apparently relaxing), and he moves with the athletic grace of a natural predator. This, combined with his appearance, scream 'Danger' to most normal people, and should inspire caution even in those more hardy.
His tall (6'3") and well-built frame is clothed almost entirely in black. A light, weathered trenchcoat, comfortably-sized jeans and a tight-fitting t-shirt covered by a long, heavy jacket. The only splashes of colour come from signs of a chain around his neck, a silver belt-buckle in the form of a wolf's-head, and the occasional buckle or button on his boots, pants or jacket in silver-coloured steel. Finally, both hands are gloved, though the glove on his left hand has been carefully tailored to leave all but his little finger bare. This finger doesn't separate from his fourth. Ever.
The initial impression is usually enough to ward against a closer inspection of his face, but those curious enough observe the face of a young man made old by scars, besides a certain something about the eyes and set of the jaw. The angles and tone of his face hint at northern European descent. His face is framed up top by black, close-cropped hair, and his eyes shine out from this visage in a brilliant, icy, blue. This man could be considered stunningly attractive if it weren't for the numerous scars on his face. A large, savage claw mark mars his right cheek, and a deadly pale white line emerges from under his hair, reaching down towards the right eyebrow.
=Corey=
The teen years have been good to Corey so far; the growth spurt left him on the tall end of average, and nothing seems to have marred his complexion. Combed-back black hair frames the fair, pale skin on his face. His sapphire-blue eyes tend to affect boredom, but latch readily onto anything interesting or new. The nose between them is a thin job, barely enough to hold up the glasses usually perched there.
He's wearing a black T-shirt with the silver-white logo of Icestorm Entertainment on the left breast and the image of some Giger-esque creature on the back, a pair of slightly faded denim jeans, and some new sneakers. It's easy to see he's not a bodybuilder underneath the shirt, but he doesn't appear to be a weakling, either.
His voice tends to be a mishmash of American accents, usually settling into midwestern if he's not thinking of anywhere in particular.
John turns about on the spot as Jeremy enters, with Dizzy, and ignores the offered Tootsie Pop. "For the love of Gaia..." he rumbles, and opens the door a little more widely, to stick his head out, and scan the street, before closing it again. "You got any more cubs you want to gather all by yourself, Jeremy? Anymore e-mails from out of town kin, sending their progeny here?" he growls.
Dizzy grins at Jeremy's mention of her first change.
"What do you think I did? Pulled her out of my pocket just for shits an giggles?" Jeremy looks frustrated by John's words, actually growing defensive now.
Sophia nods to the cub warmly, and her eyes sparkle as she waves to Jeremy. She just laughs quietly at John, learning not to take him seriously.
Corey smiles and waves to Jeremy, and sticks the tootsie pop in his mouth to give it something to do during the byplay. He looks at Dizzy with interest, and wonders if he's the only one that didn't come here pre-clued.
Dizzy smiles and holds up her hand slightly towards Sophia. "Hi again."
Daisy looks from cub to cub to cub, but doesn't appear overwhelmed by the sudden influx. Instead, she seems quite pleased to see them all. She offers a quiet smile and a brief finger-wave to Amanda. A stark contrast to John, she is an ocean of serenity and calm.
A quiet electronic sound comes from the direction of the front door. Rina comes in, her cheeks flushed against a slight pallor. She blinks at the number of people gathered in the rec room, and then comes in--followed by Jonathan. "Hey. Somebody throwin' a party, or what?" Her hair is mussed and spiky, windblown.
=Rina=
Dark-brown eyes, touched with hazel and amber, look out from a pixie-sharp face. Rina's skin is fair, but not quite pale--a light Mediterranean olive from generations of pure Italian ancestry. Black-dyed hair, tipped with white ends for the last half-inch, frames her features in a butch cut straight from anime: long enough to send spikes down into her eyes, tapering to jagged shortness at sides and back. Her chin is delicately-boned, her mouth small, the line of her jaw well-defined: an Italian beauty, a Michelangelo's muse turned modern. She can't be more than twenty, but a certain hard cynicism shows in her expressions. She carries herself with streetwise confidence and lean athletic grace.
Loose black fatigues hang from her hips, tucked into heavy black leather Special Forces boots that look like they've seen at least one war. A fitted grey t-shirt leaves her muscled arms mostly bare, displaying a collection of pale swirling scars when she isn't wearing her jacket. On the chest of the t-shirt is a painted symbol, a loop of royal blue ribbon, like the red ribbon for AIDS awareness. Beneath it, "FREEDOM" is spelled out in a computer-inspired font.
A traditional biker jacket in black leather, at least two sizes too big, drapes over her. On the right shoulder, at both front and back, electrical tape patches what must be a hole in the leather. There are more additions to the traditional biker body armor: scraps of circuit board, metal spikes and rivets, and a pair of mismatched vambraces that make her look like some sort of Mad Max knight errant.
John jabs a finger towards the kin boy, and snarls, "I told you to /make friends/, not /scare the shit out of her and make her change/." His eyes narrow. "You wanna get yourself fucking killed? Was there a Garou present?" The Ahroun looks very much like he's about to slap Jeremy upside the head, paused only by Rina's entrance. He stifles irritation somewhat to grumbles, "About time."
Jeremy lets out a deep breath, biting on his lip. Cheeks turning red, he dips his shoulders back and turns around, heading for the door. Too much rage in the room now, and the weak willed boy can't deal being the center of frustration and anger.
Sophia steps in. "Yes, boss. I was there."
Jonathan looks around, then to Rina. "Maybe I should go, they're busy." he says, looking at the others nerviously. "Umm, hi." he says, mostly towards John, since he knows him.
Rina lifts a shoulder, slightly taken aback by the irritability. "Chill. I /said/ we were goin' for a ride." She steps over to set a hand on Jeremy's shoulder, gently. A glance around, and she says, "This's Jonathan. Go easy on him, he's un-clued."
Dizzy steps to the side, to make sure she's not standing next to the girl who just entered. Average looking people tend to look ugly next to better looking ones.
Daisy gives a silent, quizzical glance towards Rina, then at the boy, speaking an unspoken question to the kinswoman.
=Jonathan=
A boy stands here, a teenager most definitely although you might have some trouble placing his age, as he is wearing a pressed suit with a dress shirt and tie under it. At the moment the suit is opened, and the tie is loosened giving him a slightly disheveled look. His brown hair is very neatly gelled, and his brown eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Corey looks toward the new arrivals. He arches an eyebrow and peers at the door as if it's a people-producing machine and is going to spit out another one in a few more minutes. When it fails to do so, he glosses over Rina and fixes his eyes on Jonathan.
John steps quickly to the door, cutting Jeremy off, and slams it firmly shut. "/Right/." He looks over at Jonathon, and smiles insincerely. "Welcome to the Real World, whoever you are." The fake smile holds long enough for the Ahroun to look at Daisy, and rumble, "Now. These are cubs. Everyone here is either clued, or in need of it. If someone else would like to do the honours before I feel the need to shoot someone..." It looks like a definite possibility. His hand remains on the door - you wanna leave... you gotta get through him.
Looking more then nervous, if not a bit upset, Jeremy simply stumbles back a bit as John pins the door shut. Cheeks flushing, eyes drifting shut, he simply freezes up and stays still, goosebumps flickering across his arms, a light shudder rushing up his spine.
Jonathan looks over at John, then Rina. "He's the crazy one, right?" he states calmly. "One of those, smile and nod types? I'll talk to him, been around his kind all my life."
Dizzy looks at Jonathan as if he's stark raving mad for his suggestion.
Within minutes of John slamming the door close, Lianne opens it back up again. She takes on look at the gathering, and her eyebrows lift in surprise. She carfully closes the door behind her and steps more fully inside. "Well, I haven't seen this much Family in one room since I moved here." She comments, dryly.
=Lianne=
Standing at 5'2, Lianne is a woman of small stature. Her face is unremarkable, pale and with the slightest hint of Asian ancestry. Her shoulder length black hair is tied back in a bun, keeping it out of the way. The woman's age (around 40) shows in her face, faint frown lines creasing her brow and crows feet next to her eyes. Her clothes are those of a wealthy woman, designer by the look of them and resemble a dark blue business suit more then anything else.
A dark wooden cane with a silver handgrip and base, is held in Lianne's left hand. She uses this cane to steady herself when she walks, as she suffers from a slight limp. Despite the limp and cane, Lianne's hazel eyes reflect a bone deep stubbornness and her posture is that of one who is used to getting their own way.
Rina takes her hand from Jeremy, offering him a faint, almost wistful half-smile. She takes off her shades--wraparound mirrored Oakleys--and stows them in an inside pocket of her jacket. Her posture remains just a little tense, ready to move should the proverbial shit hit the fan. The dark eyes, a little shadowed by late nights, meet Jonathan's. "Crazy's a subjective term. I prefer 'temperamentally challenged,' myself. And... well. You are, too." She waves a hand at the furniture: a couple of couches, some chairs. "Make y'self comfy. Anyone need a drink?"
Daisy takes a stab at bringing things to order. "Who here has no... no idea what is going on? Raise a hand."
Dizzy looks to Sophia as if to ask if she should be rasing her hand.
Corey jerks his hand up, with a look that'd almost be relieved if it wasn't so tense.
Jonathan raises a hand in Daisy's direction, and then walks over slowly towards John. The kid leans on the door after it closes and looks to John, standing fairly close now. "So, why ya guarding the door? Whatcha worried about?" the kid asks, sounding sincere. "You can tell me. I've heard it all, ghosts, fairies, dragons. You name it. I've been around all the cooks."
Sophia moves to stand next to Dizzy, saying quietly, "No, she means /really/ has no idea."
Jeremy mummurs gently, under his breath." I just want to go home..."
Dizzy nods to Sophia and rolls her eyes as Jonathan makes his move, that boy is going to get himself into a heap of shit.
Lianne uses her cane for support, as she walks over to Rina. Inclining her head toward the other kinswoman. "Evening."
The English-challenge Daisy takes Sophia up on her offer, acknowledging her request with a simple nod for her to go ahead and proceed with the explanation.
Sophia turns to Daisy, pointing out the cubs as she speaks. "This is Corey. He lives upstairs. This is Amanda, who had her first change last night and only knows a little bit about us. This is... Beer-Boy, who I only met once, but he's just been found. By Cockroach."
Rina winces, and steps over toward the door, pausing to fill Lianne in on the way. "Some new arrivals," she tells the woman quietly. "Looks like three."
John scowls at Jeremy, and jabs a finger at the stairwell. "Sophia's room, if you're stressed. I'm not done with you. Go." He gives Lianne a curt nod - barely civil - and then moves the finger to point at Jonathan. "Shut up." He then looks to Sophia, waiting impatiently for her to explain the gathering to everyone else.
Rina doesn't seem at all intimidated by John's looming presence or his words, as she steps over and sets a hand on Jonathan's shoulder. "Go, sit," she says soberly, gesturing toward the couch. "Listen. Take it seriously." When she lifts her arm to make the gesture, there's a glimpse of dark leather and metal under her jacket: a gun at her side, under her arm, hung in a shoulder rig.
Sophia tosses a set of keys and the end of Samantha's leash to Jeremy.
The key's bounces off Jeremy's arm as he snaps himself attention, glancing about and looking flustered. Huh? What? Blinking, he bends over and picks up the keys quickly and stuffs them in his pocket, sighing. Then, without further ado, he heads up the stairs to Sophia's room.
Jonathan shrugs. "Cool with me." he says, wandering down to the couch and dropping into it uncerimoniously. He kicks his feet out and puts his hands behind his head, relaxing. The kid nods to the others on the couch politely. "Hi." he says, then looks back to the adults.
Sophia gestures to the others to sit down as well.
Amanda looks around for somewhere comfortable, away from Jonathan, because he looks like he's going to get a whuppin' soon, and takes a seat, looking to Sophia, since she's going to be explaining stuff again.
Corey takes the pop out of his mouth as he considers Jonathan again. Deciding the same thing as Amanda he moves to the opposite chair and rewraps the candy. He'll find out how many licks later, right now there's learning to do.
Sophia stands in front of them and begins to speak, gesturing as she does so in order to illustrate points. She almost resembles a military trainer, pacing back and forth while she speaks with emphasis. "What some of you know, and some of you don't know, is that you are, as are Daisy, John, and myself, all werewolves. Moreover, we are the good guys. We are Garou. Is that clear so far?"
Lianne's lips thin dangerously, as Jonathan flops onto the couch. Probably doesn't have a clue, as to how much the furniture in this place cost her.
John does not move from the door, but at least seems to calm down a little, folding his arms. "Anyone who decides that now is a good time to disbelieve, may raise their hand for a demonstration." he growls, lowly.
Daisy, in contrast to her usual calm behavior, echos John's statement with a way-too-toothy grin.
Jonathan shrugs towards John and still listens, although not to seriously. "I see." he says, in much the same way oh so many psychologists have said to him.
Amanda doesn't need a demonstration, thanks to Jeremy's brilliant plan last night. She nods in affermation to Sophia.
Corey has already had a demonstration, so makes no sound.
Sophia waves a hand dismissively at John. "Shh, boss. Don't scare them. Yet. And you, beer-boy. What's your real name?"
Rina stays close to John, facing him, her back to the rest of the room--her body concealing the way she sets a hand lightly on his arm.
Amanda cracks a grin at the name beer-boy.
Jonathan looks over to Sophia. "Why, Werewolf, of course, you just said." obviously willing to humor the dellusional, heck, he's been doing it for years. "Or if you like, Jonathan... John for short."
Sophia nods. "Well, then, Jonathan. We've already got a John, and I'm no good with names, so I'm calling you Hops from now on. Cuz ya' like beer enough to pay for it, and cuz you like to hop out of windows. Now, you're the one who needs this information the most, so listen up, and stop being a smartass."
Corey looks around for another seat, as if this one is still too close to Jonathan and he'd like to get away from Ground Zero before the bomb hits.
John bristles at Sophia's words, but the kin girl's attention causes a noticable easing of tension. Exhaling slowly, he lifts a hand to meet hers, and rubs it, before looking back to the new cubs. /Trying/ to prevent his eyes from narrowing at the newly-dubbed 'Hops'. This one... might be 'fun'.
Daisy pushes off the wall she's been leaving against, listening to Sophia lay things out, and casually moving into what would be, militarily, a flanking position with John in regards to the Sophia-proclaimed smartass cub. The Tootsie Pop's stick shifts from sticking out the right side of her mouth to the left side of her mouth.
Sophia turns to the other two. "You'll need other names as well, but we'll get to that later, when you've done something really cool or really uncool. Ok, now the most important thing here is, We Are The Good Guys. And just like in a comic book, there are rules the good guys have to follow. We uh... We don't have a philodox here, so... should I cover the litany, rhyas?"
Jonathan nods, "Litany, Rhyas.. umm, I don't speak spanish." he comments. "Could you stick to english?"
Corey's attention re-rivets on Sophia. There's that word again. Maybe he won't need to ask questions, since they seem to be getting answered for him naturally.
Daisy prompts the newer cubs at this point, almost as if giving them permission to speak. "Questions?" She turns her gaze onto the smartass cub.
Sophia scowls at Jonathan, her eyes lowered to meet his. "Litany is English, Hops. It's a list. In this case, a list of rules. The word 'rhya' is a Garou term of respect."
Amanda sits silently, a half smile on her face just waiting for beer-boy to get what's comming to him. So far, this information is all just review for her.
Jonathan nods. "I see. What is this Garoo thing anyway?"
John snorts faintly as Sophia defines 'rhya', then gives Daisy a sideways glance. "Let Spot give the rundown?" he asks, gruffly. His eyes shift back to Sophia. "See if she's got the Litany well enough to teach someone else?" Lowly, he murmurs, "One of the most important things about being cliath."
Rina tips her head to one side, offering John a faint half-smile. "You want me to hang?" she asks, softly.
Lianne claims on of the remaining seats, siting down and absently rubbing at her bad leg. "Perhaps we could speed things up, by giving him a demonstration?" She sugests, mildly.
Daisy nods towards John, then directs Sophia to continue. ~Tell them of the Litany,~ she says in--most defintitely--a foreign language.
Sophia's contempt melts into approval at Hops's question. "That's more like it. Garou are werewolves who fight on the right side of things. There are others, who fight for the Wyrm, the source of evil and corruption. They are an entirely separate tribe, and they are not to be tolerated. Got that? Good. So. The Litany. The /rules/."
Sophia first lists a tenet of the litany, explains it, then answers questions from each cub. Thirteen times, the same structure. By the end of it, the cubs have a basic understanding of the Tryat, Gaia, territory, rank, the dual-nature, and the Garou's relationship with humanity.
By the end of it, Rina is sitting at John's feet, leaning her back against the wall and her head against the man's leg.
John nods, vaguely approvingly, through most of it - not needing to make many amendments. He taught her most of that, anyway. It's largely his own opinion, over again.
Amanda stays mostly silent through it and doesn't ask more than one or two questions, this is the second time she's heard it and most of her questions had already been answered.
Jonathan doesn't ask a single question, though he does listen. When she appears to be finished he speaks up. "Okay, not to sound stupid, but, umm, why are we trying to kill worms?"
Sophia sighs. "I've explained this already, Hops, but I'll try it again. The Wyrm is a name, like Satan or Lucifer or Spenta Angra or whatever. You name it. It's like, what we call the devil. The evil one. It's more complicated than that, but that'll give you a basic idea."
Jonathan sounds an understanding sigh. "Ahh, like, super evil. Like, John Malcovich, or British comedy television. Okay."
Lianne snorts. "You wish, pup."
Sophia adds something. "And Hops- It's spelled with a Y, not an O. And there's only one."
"Evil like Jeffrey Dahmer on steroids," Rina mutters darkly. One hand scratches absently at her right leg.
Jonathan nods. "Must be hungry then." he comments, smilling to Rina. "Now, Just curious, but why do you think I'm one of these.. Gaarou?" he arches an eyebrow. "I mean, I don't have anything against you and your beliefs, but I'd rather not be dragged into anything. You know?"
Sophia shakes her head, trying to concentrate. "Hang on a second. The Wyrm is worse even than that. It is what controls psychopaths. It feeds off of them and they feed off of it. It tricks people into atrocities. Pedophilia. Murder. Harming the earth for the sake of greed."
John notices the gesture from the kin girl and frowns at that leg, and the offending wound underneath. He leans down a little to murmur something to her, eyes returning to the little lecture taking place.
Daisy answers Jonathan's question. "We know."
Sophia frowns slightly and looks to John. "I'm not sure I can answer that. Can you, boss?"
John clears his throat. "When you were born, you had a Rite performed on you that attached a minor spirit to you. Waiting til you were about ready for your First Change. It came to find us, and led us back to you. Easy as that."
"Might also be why you talk to ... your friends," Rina says quietly. "They might be spirits." She studies the boy with those dark eyes.
Jonathan considers this for several moments. "So, like, you're saying I got lycanthropy?" he arches an eyebrow. "Midnight on a full moon and all?" the tone of voice is raised somewhat. "So, I go around eating people and stuff. Bite 'em, they become werewolves, and then you go and grab them too?" he shakes his head. "No one bit me, you got the wrong guy."
Amanda sighs, listinging to beer-boy's complaining.
Corey just listens to Hops and the responses. His only comment is made murmuringly: "And I thought /I/ was supposed to be the joker here..."
Daisy tosses another Tootsie Pop to Corey.
Sophia clenches her fists and almost growls as she speaks. "We've Covered the cannibalism thing! Human flesh is forbidden, besides which that's disgusting. As for the rest of it, it's not a disease, it's a bloodline. You didn't get bitten, but you might soon. And the moon doesn't change you. Anger can do it and make you temporarily insane, and you can do it through force of will. Like this."
Sophia contorts and blurs as she is transformed.
Sophia shifts into Glabro form.
Jonathan blinks several times, looking to Sophia, and falling silent, just watching and listening now.
Daisy prompts, as Sophia shifts to a larger form, ~No bloodshed in the house. It's hard to get out of the carpet.~ She doesn't seem particularly concerned for people's health and well-being.
Sophia looks down. Her posture and tone dripping with humility, she says ~I beg your forgiveness, Elder-rhya. I am not fluent in the Mother's Tongue.~ These are phrases Agatha has drummed into her, and her skill with them almost contradicts her words.
John nods, quietly, reaching down to run a hand over Rina's shoulders - slightly reassuringly (as if she needed it...). His eyes remain on the cubs. "From now on, you break it, you bought it, too. Remember, we're not spending any more of Lianne's money." The Ahroun's eyes dart quickly to the named kinswoman. A flash of embarassment.
Daisy repeats in English. Sort of. Apparently she's having problems finding the right words. "Do not make blood on the floor. It is hard to clean."
The corners of Lianne's mouth quirk up in a grin, before her face becomes passive one again. "That would be apricated."
Sophia nods, then says tentatively, ~No... Blood.~
Jonathan arches an eyebrow at this warning, odd thing to say. He doesn't speak up, though.
Corey tries to place the elder's accent, but not the foreign language. He's spoken with people from all over, but Daisy's speech patterns are a mystery to him.
Sophia turns to the other cubs. "That is the language of the Garou, the "Mother's Tongue". It is easier to speak in the war form because it is a combination of sounds and gestures. You'll learn to speak it, and you will also learn the language of the wolves." She frames the words 'Mother's Tongue' with quote marks to make certain the cubs understand what she means.
Amanda straightens up in her seat and starts listening intently now like she did the previous night. Sophia has started delving into new information.
Jonathan yawns tiredly, at least an hour and a half must have passed for Sophia to give him so much information. "My head is going to explode." he mumbles to himself. "Can I go now? If I learn one more fact my head is going to implode, and then you're going to have a mess on that hard to clean rug."
Sophia laughs with genuine affection. "I don't have a problem with it. Only... where is Hops going to be staying from now on?"
Daisy directs John, "Bunk him with one of the other cubs, yes?"
John frowns, and leans down to give Rina another gentle rub before straightening and pointing at Corey. "There's a bed and a couch in your apartment. You can share, and I'll shift one of the spare beds in the basement up there for you. Amanda, I think, can live with Sophia."
Lianne shrugs. "There are empty rooms upstaires. There are cots in the basement, as well."
Jonathan shrugs, and wanders off to.. wherever John just sent him.
Amanda lets out a small sigh of relief. She didn't want to end up stuck with beer-boy. It's bad enough Jeremy got a glimpse when she changed.
John watches the new cub and Elder cub tramp up the stairs, and then tilts his head, looking at Corey and Amanda. "So." He clears his throat, a little uncertaintly. A little of the tension returning, and he casts a quick sideways glance at Daisy. "It is Amanda, right? What happened last night? With Jeremy."
Corey looks after Jonathan's disappearance with some minor relief, and an utter certainty that Hops is going to take the bed.
Daisy listens attentively to Amanda's story, trying to catch up on recent events.
Amanda nods, "Yeah, most people call me Dizzy though." She looks around, feeling on the spot. "Jeremy... took me to Roger's house, under the pretext of being my cousin, since he got an email from Dads. Once we got there he pretended it was all a hoax and that..." she pauses, not for dramatic flair, but out of embaressment, "that he had kidnapped me. I tried to run for the door when Sophia arrived. Jeremy then confessed he was just kidding with me, and I got a little mad..." she trails off, looks around, and picks back up. "Anyway, I changed and Sophia had to calm me down, and then she explained stuff."
Corey returns his attention to the here and now, and learns something of his fellow cub. There's a kind of horrified jealousy to his attention, though he's trying to mask it.
John's eyes close slowly, and he nods quietly, murmuring, "Fucking... idiot." to himself. When he opens his eyes, he speaks quietly and slowly. "Right. CJ. Dizzy. Here's how things work. Sophia is a cub, like you, and of equal rank. But she is better versed in most things Garou, so you will listen to her, and treat her with respect. However. She is still a cub, not an Elder - she does not have free reign. I have been too lax with discipline, perhaps. That will be changing."
Daisy observes, ~That was not very intelligent of him. He could have been killed accidentally. We may need to point this out to him and to be careful when doing something that may arouse our anger.~ This is directed towards John. It is followed by a comment to the cubs. "You must be careful. You have much rage because you are Garou. You can not always control it. You may hurt or kill by accident if not cautious." She ends up sounding sort of like Yoda, even if she's not attempting to.
Lianne pinches the bridge of her nose and closes her eyes, as if she is suffering from a headach.
John's mouth twists wryly. "/That/ is why Jeremy and Sophia are upstairs, and waiting for me to go up and yell at them. He called me, when he met with Dizzy, here, and wanted to know what to do, and I told him. He took it too far." Eyeing Lianne and Rina with a sudden guilty twinge, he adds, "Kin are not ours to order around, but they /should/ listen, when they're warned about their safety." Rina receives an odd look from the Ahroun as he finishes.
Rina doesn't say a word; her head is bowed, her attention fixed on the floor.
Amanda holds her hands in her lap and hangs her head, as if punishing herself for something she couldn't have known. She looks up as John speaks, wanting to stick up for the poor boy, but deciding it would probably best not to anger the angry guy.
Daisy elaborates for the cubs. "Kinfolk are to be protected. But, also, kinfolk help the tribe. It is...." She searches for a word. "Balance." A phrase comes to mind. "Give and take. Yes. But there are many kin for each one Garou."
Corey bites his lower lip as he looks at John. Finally he ventures to say something. "It's a matter of trust, isn't it?" By the way he's staring, he's only half talking about the Kin situation.
John gives Amanda a look that borders on compassionate, and murmurs, "Don't beat yourself up over it." to her, before tilting his head curiously at Corey. "Explain what you mean, there?"
Feeling a tad relived by what the in-charge guy said, Amanda looks over to Corey, going back into concentrating on the situation, and the information being given.
Rina studies Amanda for a time, quietly. Then she taps John's leg and holds up a hand. "Help me up?" she asks softly. "Think I'm gonna crash for a bit."
Corey goes bright red at becoming a focus of attention. "Umm. Well, I was thinking about what you said the other night." He doesn't clarify for those who weren't there. "I believe I understand. You need me to trust you now so you can trust me later, or, er, something like that," he finishes lamely. "It's the same thing here, sort of. Kin should trust you because you know what you're talking about, and you need to be able to trust the Kin to know when to stop."
Daisy lobs another Tootsie Pop at Corey. Hopefully the Walkers will be getting a kinfolk dentist soon.
Amanda starts noticing the Tootsie Pop award system going on. She straightens up again, feeling a little jealous.
John's attention is drawn slowly, but surely, away from the cub, as Rina makes the request. And he just stares at her for a moment, puzzled, as he hoists her up by one hand. "Something like that." He says, after a moment, eyeing the girl worriedly. Rina... asking for help? "Kin don't have any obligations to us at all. They've been given the ability to stand being near us, by Gaia, and that gives them a unique position. A chance to help the fight in ways we can't. And it also gives them the chance to ignore the call to fight, and live a normal life." Turning now to the two cubs, John fixes them both with a serious, measuring look. "A choice we don't have. Sorry. Decision was made when you were born."
Corey mutters, "Sorta like names you don't like..."
Rina gives John a quick, grateful look and then walks toward the stairs, her steps betraying the slightest favoring of her right leg. She glances over to Corey and Amanda, giving them a wry smile. "Good meetin' you," she says. "I'll probably talk t'ya later."
Corey waves good night to the departing Kin.
Daisy waves farewell to the kinswoman.
Amanda gives Rina an almost-fake smile, "Nice to meet you too."
John frowns, and follows the girl up the stairs, quickly catching up and leaning down to murmur something into her ear. A quick kiss to her cheek, and he lets her make her way back up, frowning at that limp, before turning and heading back down.
Sophia comes down the stairs hurriedly, letting her momentum carry her at a jog into the rec room. "Hiya. Sorry it took me so long. Did I miss anything exciting?"
Corey cheerfully tells Sophia, "Oh, nothing much. The Triat stopped by to play poker, but they couldn't get a fourth so they left."
Amanda snickers at the joke, that was pretty funny. She quickly covers her mouth though and looks around to see if she made a faux pas.
Sophia laughs. "Getting the hang of your auspice, I see."
Daisy seems to either be impervious to humor, or didn't get it at all. But apparently there was no social blunder involved in snickering.
Corey grins. "Well, at least somebody seems to have a sense of humor in this tribe."
Once Amanda sees that no one gets on her case about laughing at the joke, she leans over the chair grinning at Corey. "That _was_ pretty funny."
Lianne's cel phone rings, and she looks more then just a little annoyed when she answers it. "Yes Roberts, what is it?" This is followed by a series of sour looks, as the kinswoman listen to whomever happens to be on the other end of the line. "Fine, I'll be there in ten. You'd think that after five years in the buisness, you'd be able to get the job done without someone holding you hand." She snaps sarcastically. Putting the phone away, she stands and heads for the door. "I apologize, but it apears that I am needed at my Firm. Good evening."
Sophia nods to Lianne, accustomed by now to people calling her off on business. "G'bye, Lianne. Nice seeing you again."
Daisy again offers a farewell wave to the departing person. "Night night."
Corey calls after Lianne, "Good night, and thank you!" He's managed to put two and two together to equal the owner of this building.
John comes down the stairs ignoring the joke, and nodding to Lianne. "Good to see you around, though, Lianne." He eyes the cubs with a thoughtful look. As if wondering what to do with them.
Sophia looks around. "So, really, what did you guys cover while I was gone?"
John looks after the departed Lianne, and then chances a darting glance to the stairs again. "Kin." he grunts, folding his arms. Deep in thought, and either contemplating the two new cubs, or just letting his eyes rest on them.
Sophia laughs. "Good, so you got romance out of the way."
Corey nods. Then blinks and shakes his head. "Wait, romance?"
Amanda decides to try for candy. She pipes up with, "We talked about the relationship between Kin and Garou. And how trust is important to survival."
Sophia laughs again. "Yes, er... that's what I meant to say. Trust."
Corey grins and shakes his head. "Your Freudian slip is showing."
Daisy echoes the word. "Trust." Then begins a lazy shift towards lupus. She trods a couple circles over the carpet and lies down.
Amanda doesn't want to seem to be too eager, sho she deliberately does not look in the direction of the candy-throwing woman.
Sophia stifles a giggle, but a brief smile leaks out anyway. Looking to her Elders for guidance, she asks "What about Rites of Passage? Have you gone over that yet? Because it's a lecture I'm eager to hear myself. I want to know what I have left to do before my time comes."
John makes his way over to the door and leans on it. "Kin are often treated as sex objects by Garou, because they /understand/ who we are, and are part of the secret, but aren't forbidden. If I catch any of you treating a kin as a mere sex object, I will flay you alive." he murmurs, quietly, still watching the cubs. "In much the same way that I do not tolerate any other form of bigotry. This is worse." He gives Sophia a short nod. "You were saying..."
Seeing as she didn't get what she was expecting, Amanda looks over to see that Daisy is now a wolf, she frowns and goes back to paying attention.
Sophia nods in enthusiastic agreement with John. "He's right; I shouldn't have made that crack without explaining myself. It's a shame the way our kin get treated, as if they're put here by Gaia as breeding stock. Seriously, they're /family/ to us, and we need them desperately. But... yeah. Like I was saying. I know a lot of cubs wait longer than I have to Rite, but I'm still ancy about it. I want to take the steps necessary to Rite quickly; We have as many cubs now as Cliaths, don't we? What if another comes? You'll be overwhelmed."
Amanda has trouble seeing Jeremy as a sex object, but no matter. The talk of Rites of Passage is new, so her attention remains on what is being said.
John looks to Daisy, and clears his throat. "You still have a lot to learn, Soph..." he starts, somewhat uncertaintly. "In /my/ opinion, you're still not ready." He clears his throat again, and inclines his head. "Close, but not ready."
Sophia nods, again in total agreement. "What I'm asking is, how do I /get/ ready?" Turning to the cubs, she asks "Do either of you know what I'm talking about here?"
Cat-Killer gruffs towards John. She certainly is getting there. And we do need another Cliath. But I would prefer to make certain she is ready. Sending her on the Rite early might result in her death, which would certainly be a loss.
Corey raises his hand slightly to get attention. "Excuse me, but, what is a Rite of Passage?"
Amanda nods along with that, "Yes. I don't belive that's been explained yet."
Sophia sighs and turns to face Daisy. "I'm not sure I'm equipped for this question. If you like, you can tell me, and I'll translate for you, rhya."
John hitches his shoulder. "It's sort of a 'trial by fire'. Proving you're a worthy Glass Walker. Mystical, sometimes. Othertimes, just a practical test. I don't know how to do it, myself." He looks to Daisy, and raises an eyebrow. How /were/ we planning on doing it?
Cat-Killer affirms what John said. It is a test both of spirit, knowledge, skill, tenacity, clevernous, stength, loyalty, and--occasionally--luck. She is aware that some cubs do fail and die, yes?
Amanda new there was going to be a test! Ha. Paying attention pays off. Dizzy smiles to herself.
Corey raises an eyebrow. "Final exam, huh? Just as long as there aren't any essay questions..."
Sophia nods slowly to Daisy, and adeptly translates her statement for the other cubs.
Amanda 's expression turns grim. She should have expected this. She can turn into a giant beast with sharp teeth and fangs, of course death is going to become a whole lot more promenint.
John shrugs. "You won't die as easily as a human, of course. We die very hard."
Cat-Killer adds to this. But many of the things we must fight are equally as hard to kill. Many of them are much more powerful than a single Garou. And that is why packs are important. That, and we instinctively form them. A lone Garou is a Garou that will lead a very short life if he is actively striving to follow Gaia's will.
Amanda pipes up with a question, "But the tests are hard enough that cubs sometimes do die. That's so that we are more prepared to fight the Wyrm?" Teenage fantasies about living a long, long life give their last gasp of air and die within the girl.
Sophia smiles at Amanda "Yep. I think that's the basic idea, anyway. That's why they make it so hard." Turning to Corey, she asks, "You getting all this?"
John just folds his arms, and leans quietly against the door. Not much to say on the subject of death, surprisingly.
Amanda smiles and thinks that she is going to get along just fine with her soon to be roommate.
Corey nods. "I think so. I hope so. I do have one little question, though: how soon does the pack instinct take hold? I mean, are the feelings of something missing I've been having coming from the Garou nature, or just me?"
Cat-Killer licks her nose. But a Rite of Passage might not even involve a fight at all. Sometimes it involves wisdom and making choices. Wrong choices, even though they may seem right on the surface, can lead to one's death. It is in many ways a reflection of how life as a Garou is. All actions you take have consequences. These consequences affect you and possibly many others. The consequence of shifting in public, for instance, might result in the humans proving that we exist. This might lead to the death or capture of many other Garou, the fall of the sept, the destruction of the caern, and possible the end of all Garou on the planet. A mere unwatched cub could destroy all of us. So the Rite of Passage needs to be difficult because our lives are equally difficult.
Sophia translates Daisy's words, struggling a bit with 'consequences' and 'destroy', which she repeats as 'results' and 'chew'.
John nods quietly and thoughtfully in agreement with Daisy. He murmurs quietly, "We have a cause. And it's one that you'll probably have to die for. I don't know any who've lived long enough to die of old age."
Amanda nods solemnly, looking down, letting it all sink in.
Corey looks between Sophia and Daisy, sensing that somehow, something got lost in the translation when cubs chewed everyone to death.
John doesn't even lift his watch. Just inclines his head to the two cubs, and the curled up lupe. "It's late. Being Garou doesn't mean we don't need sleep. Run off upstairs, you lot. I'll be here in the morning, probably, and we'll see about pounding you into Warriors for Gaia." His voice is gruff, but not harsh. Until he looks at Sophia. "Send Jeremy home, or whatever. I'll talk to you and him, later."
Amanda stands up, smooths and straightens out her clothes. Sheepisly, to Sophia, she says, "I guess I'm rooming with you."
Cat-Killer seems to be in agreement with John. She closes her eyes and goes to sleep on the carpet. Apparently even the tribal elder isn't allowed on the good furniture.
Sophia looks vaguely chafed by John's words, but nods. She would like to speak up, but wouldn't dare in front of the others. She waves to the others, and gestures for Amanda to follow her.
Obediently, Amanda follows Sophia, but not before searching out where Jeremy left her suitcase and taking it with her.
Hallway
The narrow stairwell leads up to a brightly lit hallway, with four doors along the sides, each door equipped with a small one-way peephole and a number. Several small security cameras are mounted near the ceiling. On the far end of the hall hangs a full-length mirror in a simple wooden frame.
Sophia's Apartment(#4128RJ$)
Small, bare, and uninviting, this little apartment is clearly not the dwelling of a homebody, nor of a person accustomed to entertaining. The sitting area has only bright white plastic lawn furniture that looks as if it might have been manufactured by Tupperware. Makeshift shelves of cinderblocks and 1"X8" boards bow with the weight of scores of books. Titles like "Rescuing the Bible From Middle America" or "Zarathustra: Modernism in Antiquity" can be seen here, along with dozens of dime-store paperbacks.
The kitchen looks as if it might never have been cooked in. A small microwave on the counter is still blinking "12:00", no one having bothered to set the clock. The only evidence of use is a single glass in the stainless steel sink and a few fast-food bags in the trashcan. The sole decoration on the refrigerator is a postcard bearing a photograph of a monstrous, grimy power plant with "Come to Hanford!" printed on the bottom in fluorescent green.
Through a door opposite the kitchen, the tiny bedroom looks slightly more lived-in. On top of a black particle-board dresser sit a hairbrush, a few hair-ties, and several plastic hairclips, along with a small pile of cheap costume jewelry. A frame designed to hold several of snapshots is hung squarely on the wall. The small writing table is so burdened with stacks of books that it appears near collapse. The bed is unmade, revealing stark, stiff, whiter-than-white sheets.
The frame is designed to hold several snapshots, but only two have been inserted. The first portrays a golden retriever suspended mid-air, leaping gleefully to catch a frisbee. The second is a tall man dressed in black, his scarred face bearing a scowl of annoyed disapproval.
Sophia's fridge contains a water-filter pitcher, a carton of eggs, a jug of kool-aid, and several film canisters. Otherwise, it is so clean it sparkles.
Outside the window, you can see downtown Regan Avenue. Tenements, small businesses, and tiny restaurants line the street. Heavy metal bars encase the glass fronts of the stores. Battered cars, almost falling apart with rust, are parked haphazardly here and there along the sidewalks. People travel in groups, here, wary of the small gangs of young boys at street corners.
Amanda walks in and looks around, and having noticed the security cameras in the hall, asks, "Are those cameras for keeping people in or out."
Sophia says "Keeping them out. Non-kin humans have no business here."
Dizzy 's jaw drops at the state of the room. Roger's appartment was worse, granted. But this is not what she expected, it appears that this new, rough life is compounded with new, rough living conditions. "Where... should I put my clothes?"
Sophia appears slightly crestfallen at Dizzy's reaction. "I'm sorry it's such a bland place... We'll get it fixed up over time. Um... here, take it in the bedroom. I'll clear some space for you in the dresser. Do you have enough energy to unpack?" Without waiting for an answer, she heads into the bedroom and starts compacting her clothes to leave half of the drawers for her new roommate.
Dizzy sighs as an acceptance of the situation, expecially now that she feels she's butting in on her new roomate's space. "It's not that bad," she says as she follows Sophia into the bedroom. "How long have you been here?"
Sophia looks upward as she works, trying to figure the days. "Not long. Less than a month, I think. I... see, I don't have a job or anything. I'm like, just 15 and stuff. But my mom sends me money every month, for living expenses. So that's why I don't have a lot of real furniture. Plus, I'm barely ever here. Oh, and... have you met Samantha yet?" She points to the golden retriever sleeping on the bed.
Samantha is a medium-sized Golden Retriever. She wears a thin, loose red collar. According to her tags, she is up-to-date in her shots. A heart-shaped tag gives the name 'Sophia' and a non-local washington phone number.
Setting her suitcase on the bed, Dizzy grins at Samantha. "Hello there," she greets the dog, "I guess this is going to be a three person room then, hey?" Back to Sophia she explains her own situation, "I just hope this doesn't cut too much into my schooling. I'm enrolling at the U for the next semester." She laughs a bit, "At least this garooo stuff will keep me out of trouble at night."
Sophia finishes with the dresser and blinks at the girl. "They're letting you go to school? You're sure? I'm not allowed to go back to highschool until after my Rite. Which is part of the reason I was being so pushy about it."
Dizzy returns the surpised look, "Well, no one has said anything about it yet. I'm already two semesters in..." She looks down and opens up the suitcase, resigning again to her fate. "I'll suppose I'll have to, in order to concentrate and acclimate myself to this new life."
Sophia goes about clearing the books off of the desk. "How old are you? Older than me if you're in college already..."
Dizzy begins to take clothes out of the suitcase and put them away, "I'm twenty... I've noticed that most of the other cubs here are much younger."
Sophia is mildly surprised. "Yeah... you must just be a really calm person or something. I dunno. How'd you end up here, anyway? Jeremy said something about your father, and an email? Is he clued in to all of this?"
Dizzy nods, "Apparently he must be, otherwise why would he tell me I had distant cousins up here?" She shrugs, "Now that I think about all the times he worked late, or didn't show up somewhere... I guess he was really doing... family things?" The last word is a question because she's still unsure about how to talk about the new situation.
Sophia carries stacks of books from the bedroom to the living room, continueing to talk as she does so. "Sounds reasonable. My mom, who is kin, wasn't like that, but then there's no family in Hanford, where I'm from."
Finishing with the folded clothes in the suitcase Dizzy closes it and takes it off the bed, "I've got some dresses and other things in the car, but I'll get those later."
Sophia looks impressed. "You've got a car? Cool. Once you get some freedom, I'll take you around, show you where everything is."
Dizzy brightens, "Yeah, that would be nice. Heh, I probably wouldn't be here if I knew where the happening places were in this city."
Sophia smiles, heading into the living room and taking a chair. She considers offering Dizzy some koolaid, but decides against it, as it sounds to cult-ish. "Well, I don't know about any fun human places. I only go to Garou places, mostly. The caern, the bawn, the farmhouse, places like that. See the farmhouse is where most cubs have to live. You and I, and the boys too, we're really lucky we get to live in the city. Out there, they argue over who gets the couch."
Dizzy follows Sophia out into the living room and takes a seat as well, but not before giving it a distasteful look. "Well, since it seems like we now are limited in what we can do and where we can go, do you think they'd let us redecorate?"
Sophia gives the older girl a funny half-smile. "Well.... depends on how drastic you wanna get. This furniture is stuff I bought. But... you're not going to make this place a black hole like Roger's apartment, are you?"
"Oh, heavens no!" Dizzy replies at the mention of Roger's appartment, "I was thinking cushioned furniture, a coffee table. Actual shelves for your books. That kind of thing. When I call Dads to tell him..." she pauses. She's not supposed to talk about Garou-things with people who don't already know, but her dad _had_ to have known, "When I call Dads and tell him about the situation I'll see if he'll front me some extra money."
Sophia points to the computer, which is assembled on the floor. "I don't think anyone would have a problem with you emailing him, if you want. Just use common sense, and don't sit on there playing all the time, cuz there's better things to be doing. It's not hooked up to the internet yet; Jeremy was supposed to come over and attach the phone cord, but I don't think he has yet. I don't even want to touch the thing, but he's my first boyfriend, and I didn't want to turn down the gift, because it was so sweet of him."
Dizzy looks at the computer then back up to Sophia and shakes her head, "Belive me, I won't be playing on it. Word processing, email and research are all I use a computer for. I was talking about actually talking to Dads, on my cell phone." She produces said object from her jacket.
Sophia chuckles. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you? I think that's cool. Just... make certain whether he's clued or not before you say anything weird to him. And.... probably avoid talking to your mom about it. Or do you think she knows, too? Anyway, you always gotta be careful about what you say. Just part of the whole Veil thing. Hey... what's your auspice, by the way?"
"Surprises?" Dizzy blinks, "I don't see why having a cell phone is a surprise." She puts it away and points out, "Heck, even Jeremy has one." She shrugs. "So, what's an auspice?"
Sophia blinks. "Oh... we didn't go over that, did we? Well, how to start. Um... So, you know how Gaia, Mother Earth, is who we're fighting for? And she's part of the Wyld and everything. Well, Luna, the moon, is also part of the Wyld, and she gives us certain tasks... it depends on what moon you were born under."
Dizzy nods, following until a question arises, "Certain tasks like what?"
Sophia looks on her shelf for a book on astrology. "I wonder if this has moon-phases in it..." she says idly. "I haven't read this one yet." Looking up, she says "Oh, um, let's see. Corey? He's a ragabash, a no moon. A trickster, a comedian. I'm a Theurge, that's the crescent moon... like, talking to spirits, hanging out in the Umbra, that kind of thing. Daisy is too. Um... Lucca is a philodox, but you don't know her yet. The half moons, they're like, our version of lawyers and judges, in a way. And Galliards, gibbous moons... that'd be Roger. They're like singers, storytellers and stuff. And then Ahroun, born under the full moon, they're the warriors, the tough guys. That's what John is." She starts rifling through the book quickly, and after a pause she says, "I'm not making any sense, am I?"
Dizzy intently listens through the explanation, and when prompted, she answers. "So, depending when you were born, that decides what job you'll have when you grow up, so to speak?"
Sophia nods. "Yeah. You get the idea. So... maybe this is the wrong way to do it, but... maybe /you/ can tell /me/ what your auspice is? I uh... It's not in this book. I could tell you all about your rising sign and... anyway, nevermind. Any of those things strike a chord with you?"
"I was born February third. Nineteen eighty one. Which means I'm an Aquarius. I've no idea what phase the moon was," Dizzy informs her roommate.
Sophia looks over at the computer. "I uh... I wonder if that thing could tell us. Do you think? I'd call Jeremy, but it's so late..."
Dizzy thinks about it, "If it were connected to the internet, we could do a search."
Sophia unplugs the phone line and walks it over to the computer, holding it at arm's length in case it bites. She looks at the front and the sides, and jumps a little when she sees all the holes in the back. "Christ! How the heck..." She finds a nook the right size for the phone chord, and shoves it in quickly, backing away from the computer as if it might blow up. "Ok... I hope that doesn't mess anything up..." She powers on the computer and sits down on the floor in front of it, not really wanting to touch it.
Dizzy watches Sophia from a distance, she knows how to search the internet on school computers, but not how the blasted things go together. After the computer gets turned on, Dizzy walks over to look over Sophia's shoulder and watch.
Sophia knows enough to click on the Start button, but that's about it. She looks through the folders and finally manages to get the thing to dial out, mostly just by clicking on things that have pictures that look right. "Uh... you said you know how to use these things, right?" she says, unable to figure out what the next step is.
Dizzy nods, "Yeah, kind of. To connect you've got to run a program like AOL or @Home. And then you can search by typing in... h t t p colon slash slash w w w dot yahoo dot com."
Sophia frowns. "I think... Jeremy said it already ran the connecting thing, automatically, through his account. And so... where do you type that stuff? Here, you do it." Sophia scoots away from the computer to make room for Amanda.
Dizzy backs up as Sophia scoots out of the way, this she wasn't expecting. She situates herself in front of the monitor and searches for a browser. "On the computers I've used, usually the window comes up right away," Eventually, she gets it right and the yahoo website is accessed. "Okay, what should I search for? Moon Phases?"
Sophia nods. "That sounds right... not like you can just search for 'auspice finders'."
Dizzy types in the phrase and waits as the results come up. She scrolls down, looking for a description that sounds right. The first site she clicks on is usesless, as is the second. "Mostly I just root through these if I'm researching for a paper," she explains. Finally, a page comes up with a boxe to choose a month and year, and the phases of the moon throughout the month is shown. "So, depending on what moon I was born under, depends on what I do? Being a werewolf doesn't involve a lot of choice on our behalf."
Sophia chuckles. "The choices come later, when you know /what/ to choose. Hey, that's a neat thing. So, let's see... you just put in your birthday, and it spits out the moon?"
February of 1981 is chosen and after a couple of seconds of loading, the phases of the moon through the whole month is displayed. A black circle fills the box marked with the number three. "It's a new moon," Dizzy announces.
Sophia smiles, ruffing up the older girl's hair. "Look at that. You're a smartass. No wonder."
Dizzy blinks, the smartass comment was totally unexpected to her, even in the joking way it was presented. "Huh? What's it mean, being born under a new moon, I mean," she asks.
Sophia goes over the description of Amanda's auspice, this time in more detail.
"Well, I am glad I didn't end up being a warrior... it would be horror on my nails," the last part, Dizzy says with a hopefull grin, obviously trying hard to be funny.
Sophia giggles. "Yep. Being an Ahroun isn't good for the complexion, either. Yech. Too many scars."
Dizzy giggles and admits, "I don't know about this though. I've never considered myself a very humorous person. I mean, bluntly, I pretty much suck at telling jokes."
Sophia nods in agreement. "It looks hard from where I sit. But you'll get used to it, I'm sure. And it's not just jokes, it's practical jokes, and just being a funny person, and... also, a lot of a Ragabash's purpose is to question the way we do things. Make sure we don't get complacent. Anything else you want to do on the computer before I turn it off?" She reaches toward the powerstrip, waiting for a 'Go ahead' sign.
Dizzy nods, indicating that Sophia should flip the switch, "I'm all done." She goes back to the chair she was sitting in before.
Sophia flips the switch and rises to her feet, slumping into another of the lawn-chairs. "So, ok. I wanna get everything straight about us living together. It was my place first, we both know that. But I want to make it really clear that from this point forward, you're no longer a guest in this place. I don't pay rent here. So do what you want to the apartment, whatever. Doesn't matter to me. Just get permission from Lianne before you do anything like paint, as it's her building."
Dizzy asks, "The old lady who was down in the lobby earlier? That's Lianne, right?" She peers at the bedroom, "You were here first, you get the bed."
Jeremy knocks gently on the door from outside.
Sophia nods to the first, shakes to the second, and gets up to answer the door. Peering out of the peephole she says. "Yes, that's Lianne. No, you get the bed. I'll sleep in lupus. Need to be spend more time that way, anyhow." She opens the door casually when she sees Jeremy outside. "I'll go get some of those dog beds tomorrow, and me'n Sam will sleep just fine on the floor in there. I can rough it for one night. It's better than that farmhouse, anyway." Smiling, she hugs Jeremy, continuing without a pause. "Later on, when you're used to your different forms, you and I can trade off with the bed."
Dizzy wants to argue, since she still feels like she's imposing, but she can't argue with the logic. "I'll try to get us a second bed, maybe a foldout couch or something." She looks over to the door and waves to Jeremy, "Hey there."
Jeremy blinks as he gets hugged, stumbling just a bit to the left. He doesn't look to be all there, he seems really distracted. ".. Um.. Hi.." He mummurs to Dizzy.
Sophia frowns, looking Jeremy over. "What's wrong? You're not yourself, I can tell."
Dizzy gets up from her seat and decides to check the fridge for something to eat or drink, upon looking inside she decideds that she is going shopping for food as soon as she can.
"Nothing, just gotta lot on my mind. Um... just.. doing thinking. I may go home for a few days to see my family, let them know I'm alright." Jeremy shifts along his feet and slips his hands deep into his pockets.
Sophia's frown is less intense, but still visible. "Something happen since this evening?" she asks.
"No, I just feel that I should disapear for a few days and let things just calm down, maybe.. let you rite without distractions." Jeremy quietly says as he rubs the back of his ear. "And let John forget 'bout me for a bit too."
Sophia looks grim, her brow wrinkled and her lips pinched tight. "You're not in my way, Jeremy. Is he giving you shit?" she asks, almost demands.
Dizzy closes the fridge and looks around. Figuring the cubbords are in similar shape, she walks back into the living area and looks over towards the other two occupants. She promptly decides to go make the bed to give her idle hands something to do and to give her roommate and her roommate's main squeeze their privacy.
Jeremy shakes his head at that. "Nuh uh. No. um.. he hasn't even talked to me yet and I really don't want to." He sighs. "You wouldn't understand, and its hard to explain. Its not a big deal. k'?"
Samantha looks up at Amanda with a mixture of curiousity and annoyance. Anyone could imagine what she's thinking right now. _Who are you, and what are you doing to my bed?_
Dizzy urges the dog to get off the bed, "C'mon, Samantha. I've gotta make the bed." Pay no mind that she'll probably be sleeping in it soon enough to make the task useless.
Sophia lets up, but her expression doesn't. "Alright. I'll leave it alone. But if he gives you shit about me, I want to hear about it." She says this, knowing fully that no one would tell her if Jeremy and John blew up a building, let alone if they had an argument. Back in the bedroom, Samantha reluctantly leaves the warm spot she's made, and just sits on the floor, staring at the new cub.
"Not 'bout you, just 'bout me fucking up." Jeremy sighs and ducks his head a bit, turning to the door. "I'll call you in the morning.. if I get time to.."
Dizzy smiles to the dog, "Don't look at me like it. You can get back on after it's made, okay." She starts making the bed by taking everything off, then slowly rebuilding one layer at a time.
Sophia holds up a hand. "Hey... hang on a second. You're just gonna leave like that?" Her anger at John has morphed into concern for Jeremy, and she steps closer to the door, not quite in Jeremy's way, but close enough to suggest that she might be, soon enough.
"Its late Sophia. Yes.. I'm going to go. I should get some sleep." The kin turns his gaze back to her, but fails to meet the Garou's eyes. Shifting a bit on his feet, he lets out a sigh. "I just wanted to tell you.. thats all."
Sophia sighs and steps back. "Alright. But keep me posted on what's going on, ok? You have the voicemail number, right?"
Jeremy nods his head at that and turns, slipping out the door and closes it lightly behind him with a soft 'thump'.
Dizzy comes out from the bedroom, attracted by the sound of a closing door, "He's not staying?"
Sophia shakes her head. "No. I have no idea what is going on with him. Men are indecipherable." She falls into a chair, staring at the door. "Arrrgh. That just... Argh."
Dizzy looks at the door and then to Sophia in the chair, "Yeah... hey, how much freedom do we have? I mean, can we go out?" She sounds like she's got an idea. "Or, I could call us in a pizza." She goes over to the phone, "Or would that be a bad idea?"
Sophia's brow creases as she tries to sort out the options. "Um, basically, you earn your freedom in stages. I can go where I want, but not alone at night. I don't know about you... we'll have to ask somebody tomorrow. But in the meantime, we do need to eat, and they can't deny that. But ordering in wouldn't be a good idea, I think. Where did you want to go?"
Dizzy shrugs, "Can you recommend a place? I'd hate to go out to McDonalds again."
Sophia tries to think. "I bet Mickey Dees is closed by now, anyway. The only place I know of that would be open is Denny's."
Dizzy foreheadslaps, "I didn't even think of the time. Yeah, you're probably right, Denny's is open all night. Do you know where a local one is?"
"Yup. Sure do." Sophia says, checking to see that she's got her wallet and keys. She calls into the bedroom, "I'll bring you back some munchies, Sam. What do you want?" The dog lumbers into the living room. Hamburger. No pickles. Sam promptly turns around and goes back to the bedroom to sleep.
Dizzy calls after the dog, "I just made the bed, try not to mess it up." She checks her pockets for her own wallet and keys, "Okay, I'm ready."
Denny's(#2977RJ)
It could be a Denny's in Los Angeles, California. It could be a Denny's in Newark, New Jersey. It could be a Denny's in Friend, Nebraska. As it happens, it's a Denny's in St. Claire, Washington, but the surroundings don't really matter. It's a Denny's.
The double doors of the glass foyer lead to a matching set of doors to the restaurant proper, and on entering one sees to one side a pair of gumball machines and a grab-the-toys-with-the-claw machine, to the other, a payphone, and ahead, the register and the ubiquitous freestanding sign: Please wait to be seated. No matter the time of day or night, no matter how many or few patrons seem to be seated, the waitstaff always appear to be bustling about, and it takes a minute or two before one is free to seat any new arrivals.
Large panes of glass make up the majority of the outer walls, giving a good view of the street from any of the many red vinyl upholstered booths that line the walls below them. Most of the booths are two facing benches and a table, able to hold four people comfortably or 6 really cozily, but each corner holds a bigger one, fit for as many as ten rowdy late night teenage patrons. The open area of the restaurant is littered with tables and chairs, all seemingly for parties of four. On every table in the restaurant are the usual condiments, menus, and a carafe with a slip advertising the orange juice, all in a neat little wire corral.
The waitstaff are all neat, and range from perky and helpful to sullen and incompetent; there's also that one requisite smart ass waiter who jokes with all the patrons and is the favourite of all the high school students. The clientele range from crying babies to elderly folks with walkers, trendy teenage girls and loud, dangerous looking hoodlums, and any of the types might be seen at any hour.
Plastic plants hang from the ceiling beams and sit on the counters. Very low pile carpet in semi-geometric designs lies unnoticed across the floor. Cups of eternally refilled coffee sit on almost every occupied table. The food is cheap, plentiful, and overall, edible. It's not the Ritz. It doesn't have to be. It's a Denny's.
It's late enough that many booths are empty, and a waitress passing by instructs the girls to sit wherever they want.
Dizzy looks at Sophia and grins, "Booth?"
Sophia nods, heading off into what appears to be the non-smoking section, and pointing to an out-of-the way booth not too close to anyone else.
Dizzy nods, agreeing on the choice of location, "In California, you can't smoke inside any restaurants or bars any more."
Taking a seat, the waitress hands the two girls menus. She gives them a slightly dirty look, as they probably shouldn't be out this late. Dizzy peers over the menu at her roommate and asks, "So, what was wrong with Jeremy? Did John chew him out?"
Sophia looks surprised but pleased with the idea of a totally non-smoking restaurant. "Can't stand those filthy things, anyway. One of the... other young'uns.... from another group, named Jervis, he smokes. It's nasty. Oh, what? No, I don't know. It sounds like John is ticked at him for trying to get you to change last night. And frankly, John has every right to be mad about that. It was a hare-brained idea, and he could've gotten seriously hurt."
Dizzy nods, looking over the menu, "It was dangerous, but his heart was in the right place. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad he did what he did. I want to thank you too. I'd hate to think what would have happened to him if you hadn't happened to come over."
Sophia chuckles softly as she opens her own menu. "No kidding. He'd have been mincemeat. Yes, he had his heart in the right place. But it was still stupid, and he should've known better. Orders are orders, besides. If John told him to make friends, that's what he should've done. If one of us did something that dumb?" Sophia answers her own question by putting down the menu and pounding a fist into the palm of her other hand.